HAPLESS SECOND HALF SINKS BANDITS

The Buffalo Bandits went into Minnesota looking for an end to their woes. Instead, they were handed their worst loss of the season by the Swarm (6-7). They were outscored 18-4 through the final three quarters, and 11-2 in the second half en route to a 21-7 loss. The Swarm broke a franchise record for goals in a game they set last week when they beat the Wings 20-11.

The Bandits’ losing streak extended to six games, and they fell to a 5-9 record on the season.

The Swarm opened the first half scoring. Jordan Macintosh rifled a shot past Anthony Cosmo 22 seconds into the game. Jordan Critch was able to answer right back with the first goal of his NLL career to tie the game at 1-1.

The Swarm then scored two straight. Macintosh scored his second of the game on a five-minute power play. On the same power play, Cosmo stopped a shot, and the ball trickled behind him. Bandits transition player Alex Kedoh Hill dove to try to stop the ball from rolling over the line. Unfortunately, the ball bounced off of his stick, and just rolled over the goal line to give the Swarm a 3-1 lead. It was then that Cosmo was forced to leave the game with an apparent injury.

The Bandits were able to tie the game before the horn went on the first quarter as Kurtis Wagar entered the nets for the Bandits.

Glenn Bryan got free on a shorthanded breakaway, and was able to get a shot past Carlson to bring the Bandits within one. Bandits leading scorer Shawn Williams was able to tie the game a 3-3 with an absolute rocket from the right side of the field. Despite missing leading goal-scorer Dhane Smith, the Bandits looked like they would be ok offensively.

That would just about be all she wrote for the Bandits, however. Kiel Matisz opened the scoring in the second quarter with a power play goal. David Earl got another one less than a minute later. He was able to pick off a cross field pass, and use his top-end speed to fly down the field, and get a shot through Wagar’s legs. Shayne Jackson and Josh Gillam were able to stretch the Swarm lead to 7-3 before Williams answered for Buffalo. Corban Tayo and John Tavares traded goals, and it was 8-5.

Jackson and Earl closed out the second half scoring, and the Swarm carried a 10-5 lead into half time. The Bandits still had some hope to cling on to, as the third quarter was scoreless for the first five minutes. Then, the floodgates opened for Minnesota.

The Bandits found themselves in penalty trouble, and were facing a two-minute, 5-on-3 power play. Matisz quickly made them pay, and extended the Swarm lead to 11-5. Ryan Benesch took advantage of the remainder of the power play time, and made it 12-5.

Those two goals were the start of a 9-0 Swarm run that put the game completely out of reach, and made it 19-5. Jackson and Macintosh completed hat tricks during the run, and Wagar had no relief as Cosmo missed the rest of the game with an injury.

Mark Steenhuis and Tavares were able to add goals in the final minutes of the game to avoid a second half white wash, but the goals themselves did not mean much outside of that.

The Bandits will try once again to snap the losing streak as they travel to the left coast to take on the Washington Stealth. Game time is set for 10 PM EDT, 7PM PDT.